CPA firms face increasing pressure to deliver high-value advisory and consulting services as the accounting profession transforms. Traditional talent development models rely on in-house staff and struggle to keep pace with this shift.

Enter “staff on demand,” a hallmark of exponential organizations that offers a scalable, flexible solution to increase capacity, drive innovation, and accelerate service delivery. This approach addresses staffing challenges and empowers firms to develop talent capable of delivering higher-value services.

This option isn’t new, as firms have been outsourcing since the early 2000s. What is new are the mindsets, skill sets, and toolsets needed to succeed. The convergence of multiple technologies, clients’ wants and needs and artificial intelligence helps firms meet the challenges and take advantage of their best opportunities.

Why firms need staff on demand

Staff on demand is a strategy where organizations leverage external resources, freelance talent and part-time experts to meet fluctuating business needs. This model provides agility and helps firms closely align resources with client demands without the overhead and inflexibility of full-time hires. More importantly, firms build teams with the required skill sets and technology (toolsets).

This concept goes beyond temporary staffing in an accounting firm. It involves creating an ecosystem of professionals who contribute niche expertise, specialized skills, or extra capacity during peak seasons.

Now, we’ll examine why the staff-on-demand model is the path forward.

• Talent gap and specialized skills. The profession faces a talent shortage exacerbated by increased demand for advisory and consulting services. Traditional hiring pipelines often fail to deliver the specialized skills needed for areas like financial forecasting, tax strategy and digital transformation advisory. The staff-on-demand model provides access to a global talent pool so firms can bridge gaps in expertise without lengthy recruitment processes.
• Seasonal peaks and workload fluctuations. Tax season and other busy periods strain internal resources, leading to burnout or missed opportunities. By adopting this model, firms can scale up quickly during peak times and downshift during slower periods. Improved resource utilization supports employee well-being.
• Cost efficiency. Full-time staff come with significant overhead costs like salaries, benefits, training and workspace needs. Staff on demand is a cost-effective alternative, allowing firms to allocate resources to client-centric investments and technology upgrades.

This isn’t temporary staffing; it’s a strategic approach to cultivating talent capable of driving advisory and consulting services. Here’s how:

• Exposure to new skills and perspectives. Integrating external professionals into projects exposes internal teams to diverse approaches and cutting-edge expertise. This cross-pollination of ideas fosters innovation and accelerates skill development within the core team.
• Mentorship and knowledge transfer. Senior-level external consultants can serve as mentors for junior staff. They can train internal teams in niche areas like AI implementation, business analytics, or blockchain accounting. This blueprint allows internal teams to learn from experienced professionals in real time.
• Risk mitigation in talent investments. Hiring full-time staff for emerging service lines is risky, especially in uncertain markets. Staff on demand lets firms test and refine advisory services with minimal commitment, reducing the financial risks associated with building out capabilities.

Implementing staff on demand

Below are actionable steps for firms to integrate the new model effectively:

• Step 1: Redefine talent needs. Identify the specific skills and expertise required to expand your advisory and consulting services. Develop a framework to categorize these needs into short-term, long-term and specialized projects. For example, if you’re exploring sustainability consulting, you may need environmental accounting or carbon reporting experts.
• Step 2: Build a talent network. Develop a pool of vetted professionals, including freelancers, boutique firms and consultants. Consider establishing formal partnerships with universities and professional organizations to access upcoming talent.
• Step 3: Integrate technology. Leverage technology to streamline hiring, onboarding and collaboration. Platforms like Bamboo for HR, MS Teams for communication, and project management tools like Asana help manage remote or freelance workers.
• Step 4: Establish a culture of collaboration. Firms must foster a collaborative culture for staff on-demand to thrive. Clearly define roles, expectations, and integration points between full-time staff and external professionals. Transparency and alignment build trust and help maintain quality.
• Step 5: Focus on knowledge retention. Capture the insights and expertise from on-demand professionals and share them with your internal team. Use collaboration tools, project after-action reviews and learning management systems to institutionalize this knowledge.
• Step 6: Prioritize compliance and risk management. When working with external staff, have contractual agreements covering confidentiality, data security and intellectual property rights. Complying with industry regulations like Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and Internal Revenue Service standards is a priority.

Real-life applications

Next, let’s look at some examples of how firms use and benefit from the staff on demand model.

• Tax season scaling. A midsized firm leveraged staff on demand to meet tax season demands. By hiring freelance tax preparers and reviewers, they reduced the workload for full-time staff, maintained quality and avoided burnout.
• Niche advisory services. A firm exploring digital transformation advisory services brought in an on-demand consultant to conduct initial assessments for clients. This external expertise delivered immediate client value and trained the firm’s staff to replicate the process internally.
• Technology implementation. A firm engaged on-demand IT consultants to implement AI-driven tools for audit automation. The consultants trained internal staff, helping them build long-term capability in audit innovation.

Overcoming challenges

Here are a few common challenges for firms implementing staff on demand and how to overcome them to start reaping the benefits:

• Problem 1: Maintaining quality and consistency. Solution: Develop standardized workflows to ensure external staff meet firm quality standards.
• Problem 2: Protecting firm culture. Solution: Include external professionals in team-building activities. Communicate the firm’s mission, vision and values to maintain cultural alignment.
• Problem 3: Managing client perception. Solution: Be transparent with clients about the use of external expertise. Frame it as a service enhancement rather than a substitute for internal talent.

Advisory and consulting services are the fastest-growing areas for CPA firms, but traditional staffing models can’t keep up with the demands of flexibility, specialization and innovation. Staff on demand is a pathway to overcome these challenges while fostering a culture of learning and adaptability.

Take proactive steps to embrace this model and align it with your vision for growth, talent development, and client success. Then you can unlock new opportunities for innovation, scalability and impact.

Think — plan — grow!